Comet captured streaking across Stonehenge night sky

The comet will pass closest to Earth on 23 July

A comet has been captured on camera streaking across the skies over Stonehenge.

Comet Neowise has been spotted by stargazers across the UK and around the world as it heads past Earth.

It was discovered in late March and became one of the few comets in the 21st century that can be seen with the naked eye as it approached the sun.

The comet will be closest to the Earth on 23 July but will still be about 64 million miles (103 million km) away.

Neowise is around 400 times farther away than the moon, but can still be seen with the naked eye

Jeff Overs, who travelled to Stonehenge in Wiltshire to photograph the comet, described the moment as "astonishing".

"It was perfect conditions, clear and crisp and the comet was right above the stones," he said.

"You can see it with the naked eye but it took me by surprise It did look spectacular. I won't see another comet like that in my lifetime."

The interplanetary iceberg will be visible throughout July in the northern hemisphere, moving in a westerly direction across the sky.

From the middle of the month it will be visible low in the sky towards the north, throughout the night.

It will then head out of sight as it travels back to the outer solar system.